


Pride and Prejudice

by ineffablesheep



Series: This Is Not Jane Austen [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Afghanistan, Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Daemons, Atypical Daemons, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky is pretty well-adjusted in this, Cats, Daemon Prejudice, Daemons, Denial, Gen, I'm more critical than anything in this but just in case, Implied/Referenced Torture, In this house we ignore A:IW, Not Steve Friendly, Past Torture, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Steve Rogers is not a good bro, Steve is deep in it, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, ditto to Clint and Maximoff, rated for some swearing and the references to Hydra/Afghanistan, so many Daemon tags, that's a better tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 23:25:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17631728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineffablesheep/pseuds/ineffablesheep
Summary: “Did you see this? Stark’s got another Daemon.” The archer grumbled through a mouthful of his awful sugary cereal as Steve entered the kitchen. His Chihuahua Garv trotted alongside with his head held high. He veered over to the breakfast bar where Barton sat with his tablet and skimmed the article displayed. James stayed quiet next to the toaster, Anastasia tight to his side. None of Steve’s team had seen Stark since the awkward and tense reunion celebrations held at their return to the States and James had been so focused on making it through the ordeal that he hadn’t actually seen the Iron Man pilot there. This was the first he’d heard about Stark’s Daemon though, or Daemons as Barton seemed to be saying.“Another? How many is that now, five?” Steve studied the image on screen, before correcting himself. “No, that’s six.”“What kind of person has more than one Daemon?”





	Pride and Prejudice

**Author's Note:**

> Hey lovelies, I hope you've had a good new year and are happy and healthy!
> 
> This fic is possibly a bit of a mess. It's unbeta'd, was drafted on a bus with a screaming baby on my way home and away from my girlfriend, rewritten to the tune of Kpop and Pewdiepie, with an advert for a spell/grammar check stuck in my head going on about sentences in the passive voice. It's been a weird week.
> 
> Anyhow, this idea wouldn't leave me alone so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. If anyone wants, I'll put name meanings/animal choices in the end notes :)

James hadn’t been back in the States long before the comments reached his ears. The Wakandan news had bigger things to focus on than to gossip about outsiders and their Daemons but in America, gossip they did. Sometimes, James wasn’t sure what was a news programme and what was a talk show, fact and opinion blurred so much. But he didn’t have to leave the Avengers compound or watch TV to hear the gossip or judgement, Steve’s team brought it straight to him.

“Did you see this? Stark’s got _another_ Daemon.” The archer grumbled through a mouthful of his awful sugary cereal as Steve entered the kitchen. His Chihuahua Garv trotted alongside with his head held high. He veered over to the breakfast bar where Barton sat with his tablet and skimmed the article displayed. James stayed quiet next to the toaster, Anastasia tight to his side. None of Steve’s team had seen Stark since the awkward and tense reunion celebrations held at their return to the States and James had been so focused on making it through the ordeal that he hadn’t actually seen the Iron Man pilot there. This was the first he’d heard about Stark’s Daemon though, or _Daemons_ as Barton seemed to be saying.

“Another? How many is that now, five?” Steve studied the image on screen, before correcting himself. “No, that’s six.”

“What kind of person has more than one Daemon?” Why couldn’t Barton finish his mouthful before talking, that’s what James wanted to know. The Scarlet Witch answered this with a dismissive wave of her hand as she wandered into the kitchen. Barton’s hawk screeched a greeting to the coral snake draped over her shoulders.

“It’s Stark. That man is so self-centred and egotistical that he couldn’t handle having only one Daemon. An elephant couldn’t contain it all.” Barton snorted at this, and even Steve grinned. “Stark is so proud,” the witch continued, “that he has a pride.” That was the moment when the toaster finally popped, James’ toast jumping in the air before being caught by red mist and claimed by the witch, who snagged his waiting plate with another strand of her magic. Anastasia growled and even James wanted to bare his teeth at the woman but he curbed the action quickly. His Daemon’s noise had drawn Steve’s attention, the other super soldier looking to James’ shoulder before dropping to where the snow leopard had taken another step forward. A circus of emotions passed over his features before disappointment and reproach claimed residence.

“Buck, that’s no way to behave.” Steve chastised. Behind him, the witch continued buttering his toast and reading the article Barton was still going over. “Just make some more. She’s hungry too, she’s just having some fun.” James reached down and pulled Anastasia back to his side. He avoided Steve’s attempt at eye contact, like hell was he going to apologise to the witch for their behaviour when she’d stolen their toast, not a please or thank you to be heard. Daemon tight to him, he walked out the kitchen, making sure to grab the nicest apples from the bowl on the counter top. Twisting his way through the corridors, he double checked to make sure Steve hadn’t followed before making his way up to his hiding spot.

They’d found it one of the first nights they’d been at the compound. It’d been one of those nights where the walls were too close, the air too thin, and before James knew it he’d bolted from one end of the compound to the other and nearly tripped over long grass on the roof. He’d found a large garden filled with tawny grass and large rocks, all contained by a frosted glass railing that circled the otherwise exposed roof top. Tucked around one side away from the door was a small but sturdy tree growing up there. That’s where Ana had found the tennis balls and where James liked to sit.

They’d made a point of coming up here often after that first time. Any time things got to be too much, he’d find a way to excuse himself, often slipping unnoticed from the room. Well, Steve’s stupid Chihuahua sometimes noticed but was usually too busy getting underfoot to be a problem. What mattered was the space stay a secret, so Ana could wander as far as she wanted without the fearful or suspicious judging eyes holding her back.

While Anastasia was busy roaming, hunting down the tennis balls James had lobbed into the grass, he made himself comfortable under the tree. He’d three apples – not enough to keep him fed but more than he was used to, so it would do. Just as he took a bite, someone coughed.

Reflex had him spring from his position and slam the other person against the wall. Uncertainty began to creep into his mind when he heard a growl behind him, not Anastasia’s familiar and comforting rumble but the sound of another feline Daemon that was not happy that James had Tony Stark pinned to a wall.

Oh _fuck_.

Carefully, James took a step back, hands raised and eyes to the ground. He could hear Anastasia’s frantic noises as she tried to get to him but was blocked by Stark’s Daemon, still firmly on the offensive for Stark. Slowly, the smaller man’s words cut through the oncoming panic and James felt his snow leopard press against his leg. Automatically, his hand came down to card through her fur and he risked a glance at Stark. The engineer was calm, the lioness beside him still riled up by his side. And, heads peaking around the corner, were five lion cubs. Just like that, a light went off in James’ mind.

“This is a savannah.” He blurted out. Stark’s brows raised but there was humour in his voice when he answered.

“Yeah, lions aren’t that found of the Arctic. Were you looking for an iceberg?”

“Lions live in a savannah. Your Daemons are lions. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise this was yours, we’ll leave now. I promise we haven’t told anyone about it.” The panic finally caught up to him and James started to ramble. For the second time that morning he went to make a quick exit, only to be stopped by two of Stark’s cubs sitting right in his path. If he wanted to get past, he was going to have to walk around them, right into the path of another two. A glance to the door showed the oldest cub sitting primly in front of the door. Was he trapped? Stark had been a big part in getting Steve and his team – and James – back to America, was his why? They hadn’t spoken since Siberia, not that they really spoke. What was going on?

“Breathe Barnes, take a breath. In and out, you know how to do that, right?” James nodded his head frantically. Anastasia was pressed firmly against his leg, pressing her head against his hand for more attention. Stark just stood there in front of him, hand on his own Daemon. Not threatening, just watching. James nodded again when he’d gotten himself back under control, one last exhale before clearing his throat and looking up at Stark.

“Better? Good. Now come on,” the engineer gestured to where James had been sitting, “sit back down. These guys have been nagging me for fetch and I’m sure your Daemon would like to stretch her legs some more.”

Still silent, James settled back into his spot. Anastasia lay next to him with a huff, tension running through her muscles. Seemingly without a care in the world, Stark plonked himself right down next to him, his own Daemon eyeing James before Stark shooed her off. With an unimpressed flick of her tail she leaped up onto one of the bigger rocks that overlooked the garden and closed her eyes. James didn’t doubt that she was watching everything unfold regardless.

The cubs hadn’t needed any encouragement. The smaller four raced off into the grass, followed by the older male cub who had sat in the doorway. Stark picked up one of James’ forgotten apples, wiped the dust off and took a bite, before gesturing to Anastasia.

“Go have a run-around. Alex won’t give you any trouble and the terrors just want to play fight.”

“She can’t go that far.” Stark interrupted the rest of James excuse with a snort.

“Yes she can. Look,” he sighed, running a hand through messy hair; “I’ve read the files. The Winter Soldier’s Daemon was never seen, even when shit went down at the Potomac and you were right out in the open. I know Anastasia – it is Anastasia isn’t it? – can wander a _lot_ further away from you than other people’s Daemons can. Let her go play, Barnes. No one’s going to start screaming or put you in a psych ward.”

James didn’t trust the other man, but he had a point. Not to mention Stark’s own Daemon situation wasn’t exactly normal. He’d be a god damned hypocrite to call James and Ana a freak.

He gave Ana an encouraging pat and gestured to the open space before him. She took one last look at Stark before slipping into the long grass. Despite the colour of her pelt, she blended in quite nicely, the only major give-away being her long, fluffy tail peeking out like a periscope. A little anxious with Anastasia out of his reach, James turned to Stark, still munching on a stolen apple.

“You won’t tell anyone?” Another bite, a shake of Stark’s head. “You’re really okay with us being up here?” Still munching away happily, Stark nodded.

“Jarvis is in charge of the compound’s security. Friday helps out but she’s mostly in charge of the tower and Pepper’s PA. If you weren’t allowed up here or in this section of the building you wouldn’t be here. Correct me if I’m wrong but I’m pretty sure this is the only place where Anastasia isn’t glued to you, and Jarvis says you’re happier since you’ve been coming up here. So, I don’t mind.”

James nodded his thanks. He picked up an apple and toyed with it between his hands, rolling it from one to another. He was silent up until Stark finished his own apple and chucked the core into the grass for the cubs to fight over.

“So, I’m sure they’ve been telling you all sorts of wonderful things about me. Don’t deny it I know what people think. You’ve got questions – ask.”

“Hydra’s files on you said you had a lion, Alexander. Is my memory wrong?” The question bubbled up out of James without permission, hanging in the air between them.

“Going straight for the personal details, huh? Not the first question I was expecting but sure. Alexandra was Alexander, back before Afghanistan.” James knew a bit about Afghanistan. One of his handlers had brought a newspaper, a picture of Stark sitting before reporters claiming the entire front page. The agents had laughed, one going so far as to draw a mane on the weary lioness next to him.

“Next question, Robocop.”

"Are they all yours? I mean, you said Alexandra used to be male, did she...break? Were the cubs part of her?" James' stomach rolled at the thought. It was incredibly rare for a person’s Daemon to change, and took serious trauma. Even Hydra failed to completely separate Anastasia from their Asset and they’d spent the better part of three decades trying. To think that Stark's Dæmon - his soul - had been broken into pieces...

Thankfully, Stark interrupted that train of thought before it could overwhelm him.

"No, nothing like that, thank fuck. They're my AIs' Dæmons." James’ jaw dropped. Stark had to be kidding. If code to have a Daemon; that meant-

"Your AI's Daemons? Jarvis and Friday have souls?"

"The older-looking one, Katran, is Jarvis's. The smallest and youngest is Dihaoine. She’s Friday’s."

Five AIs, all of which were human enough to have their own Dæmon. James stared at Stark, his mind a static mess. When he'd first been introduced to Friday and Jarvis, James though that the pair were actual humans until Jarvis clued him in. It shouldn't have been a surprise since Tony Stark created them. However, to have created not one but five AI sentient enough to have a soul and a Daemon; James had to take a moment.

"Do you, could I, who are your other AI? Are they here at the compound too?"

"They're not here, no. I keep their code on me though and it means their Daemons can follow me if they want. The bots don’t like being stuck by themselves when I travel.”

"Wait you mean robots?" Stark had made real, actual robots? If James was Bucky of the 40s, he would have passed out from excitement. As it was he couldn’t stop himself from perking up and twisting to face Stark properly.

"Yeah, they're just arms that help me in the shop but they're my kids." James opened his mouth with a question on his tongue but Stark cut him off.

“Nah-uh Snowflake. Eye for an eye. Why does Steve keep staring at your shoulder and making his I’m Disappointed In You face? Is it the arm? Are your shoulders not buff enough? Or are they buffer than his and he’s jealous?” James snorted at Stark’s ridiculous suggestion. Steve just standing there in the kitchen after James left, lamenting the size of his muscles. But Iron Man was watching him expectantly and waiting for an answer. Eye for an eye.

“Anastasia is a snow leopard, right?” The other man hummed in reply, so James carried on stating the obvious to a genius. “She’s a bit big to perch on my shoulder. But before Hydra and everything she was a grey housecat.”

“Who was small enough to sit on your shoulder.” Stark concluded. With a sigh James nodded, running his hands through his hair. He’d kept it long, much to Steve’s silent disappointment. It was one of the first real decisions he’d made about himself and he was still quite proud of himself for it.

“Yeah. She used to sit up there and watch the world go by. She’d bite my ear if she thought I was being an idiot. She still fits up there like a scarf, but Steve, it’s like, he…” James trailed off in a huff. He swallowed the lump in his throat and searched for the words. Ana’s fluffy tail poked up above the grass for a moment and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

“He doesn’t get that you’ve changed.” All he could do was laugh.

“He really doesn’t.” He manged between harsh laughs. “Garv didn’t change with the serum because Steve himself didn’t change. Anastasia hasn’t changed because I felt like it. She’s changed because _my god damned soul has changed_. It’s like he’s trying to ignore everything that I did under Hydra’s control and that I’m not who I’ve used to be. I’m sick of it. She’s not going to be a housecat again because that’s not who I am.”

“Steve doesn’t like it when Anastasia’s not on your shoulders because it reminds him that you and your Daemon are different now. But, if you have her on your shoulders you’ll give him false hope that you’re turning back into Brooklyn-boy Barnes. Or, third option, he’ll react badly because your Daemon is doing what she used to with a different form that reminds him that you aren’t the Bucky Barnes of his memories.”

Stark summed it up perfectly, James mused. His throat felt tight and his fingers itched to feel Anastasia’s thick pelt between them.

“I lose either way.” He managed. “It’s so stupid.” Stark laughed at that, head tipped back and hand pressed tight to his ribs.

“People are stupid. I came back from Afghanistan with a lioness rather than a lion and half the papers thought I’d been castrated.” James could help but laugh with Stark, it was ridiculous.

“Fuck, and I thought the articles that called me a Bucky Barnes impersonator were absurd.”

Before the pair realised it, they had an audience. The five cubs sat just in front of them with big, curious eyes. Anastasia sauntered past them, settling next to him with his arm wrapped around her. Not to be left out, Alexandra leapt down from the rock with a lazy ease and claimed Stark’s legs. He was sure her paws were big, but Ana’s dwarfed them to the point they looked dainty.

"Would you tell me more about them?" James nodded at the cubs. He ran his hand down Ana’s flank, rising and falling with her breathing.

“Alright, sit still you disasters.” Stark pointed at each cub as he went, James paying close attention. “On the left there eating his own tail is Tychicus. She’s my oldest bot’s and like Dum-E she’s a bit odd. I mean, I made him in MIT drunk off my arse, so they’ve both got some quirks. That’s Epsilon next to her, U’s Daemon. He’s pretty chill, a bit gullible. Jarvis, he’s the most advanced of my AI even if he’s not the oldest. Katran looks like he’s oldest though. A very prim and proper snarky gentleman. The one about to pounce of his brother is Feliks. Butterfingers is my youngest bot and – I don’t care if I ruined your attack, be nice to your brother! – she likes to wind her brothers up and get them in trouble. She’s such a happy kid, Feliks is the same.

“And last but not least,” Stark reached forward and snagged the smallest cub from where she lay on the dirt, “is my girl Friday. This is Dihaoine. She’ll probably get as big as Katran, but she’s only just gotten big enough for her to leave the lab and wander around in public. After Ultron, I, well I fucked up to put it mildly, and the team didn’t trust me – quite rightly – and one of the conditions for installing Fri in the compound was that she be limited. She’s free to grow now, but I still did that to her, didn’t I precious?”

James kept silent as he watched Stark handle the cub. His hands were scarred but the care there was unmistakable, reverent even, as he cradled Dihaoine to his chest. The other cubs took that as an invite and swarmed James and Stark, tangling in their legs and cuddling up to them. Anastasia froze for a moment when Feliks chirped at her before snuggling up to her and yawning contentedly.

He still had questions he wanted to ask, things to apologise for, but that could wait for another time. Right now Stark was a warm presence on one side and Anastasia was pressed close on the other – out of choice rather than fear. Stark’s AI kids’ Daemons had made themselves at home and Jarvis and Friday watched over the garden. He was safe, it was sunny and the breeze was soft. Warm and content, James felt his eyes slip closed, fingers still carding through his Daemon’s coat. All he needed now was some toast.

**Author's Note:**

> *screams into the void* IF ANYONE COULD CREATE AN AI SO SENTIENT IT HAD A SOUL, TONY STARK WOULD BE THE ONE TO DO IT
> 
> Right, that's better. If you want more details on the Daemon choices let me know (it's late here and I have work tomorrow, otherwise I'd just do it now sorry guys). I'm slowly working on Daybreak, that should be the next thing updated/posted but I've got another Daemon AU rattling around in my brain so who knows :)
> 
> Love you all,
> 
> Sheep x
> 
> I'm still laughing at the fact I called this fic "Pride and Prejudice", I'll sleep now

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Fanart] for Pride and Prejudice by ineffablesheep](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19319020) by [Sundragon_Fireball](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sundragon_Fireball/pseuds/Sundragon_Fireball)




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